6 Tips for Staging Your Vacation Property to Attract Renters

When it comes to renting out your vacation property, you want to make sure you've done everything possible to gain a competitive advantage. That's where staging your vacation property for renters comes into play. Staging your rental property offers many more benefits than just aesthetics, and while it might seem easy to decorate a bit, staging can be a challenge even for the most seasoned experts. In this article, we'll shed some light on 6 tips for staging your vacation property to attract renters. But first, let's discuss a little more about what staging a vacation property entails.

Staging is simply preparing your rental home for the marketplace by implementing strategies that make your property appealing to prospective renters. The goal is to make your rental property appealing to the highest number of prospective renters to thereby rent your vacation property faster and make money more quickly.

Per the National Association of Realtors, more than 77% of people find it easier to visualize a property as their home or potential rental when it's staged. According to the same organization, 38% of seller's agents stage their clients' homes before listing them on the market, and they report that this greatly reduces the time the property spends on the market. The bottom line is clear; staging your vacation property reduces the time on the market and keeps cash flowing.

The first step to staging your rental property is to declutter. A cluttered rental property doesn't feel as welcoming or as visually pleasing as a decluttered one. Begin by getting rid of anything you don't need in the space. Then, consider the items you want to keep for your vacation property. If it's not something you need in the space, then get rid of it or store it elsewhere. This can include items that you need but your guests won't, such as children's toys or pet supplies. Once you've decluttered, it's time to clean. Steam cleaning carpets and deep cleaning tile helps freshen spaces, as well as general cleaning throughout the inside and outside of the vacation property.

A welcoming atmosphere is important for prospective renters walking into your vacation property. As they say, first impressions are everything. Make sure the climate of your rental property is comfortable, and make sure that you've set a welcoming scene when prospective renters walk into each room. Much of staging boils down to considering what renters want to see. In the living room, have blinds and curtains open to brighten up the space, and use decorative elements strategically to create a picture perfect space. That's the same concept you'll want to use in each room.

When it comes to staging your rental property, think about quality versus quantity. Adding luxury items while staging your vacation property is a sure way to catch the attention of prospective renters and make an excellent first impression. Adding high-end items such as luxurious furniture and artwork creates a unique atmosphere that renters will take notice of. The luxury items can also be smaller such as a high-end coffee machine, or high-quality sheets on the beds.

When staging your vacation home, be sure to give each space its own identity. For instance, if you've got an empty den in your vacation home, then consider transforming it into a game room or movie room. The goal is to make sure that each space is given a task so that your prospective renters won't feel overwhelmed or confused by empty space. If a space's purpose isn't clear, try adding elements to better define its intended use. For example; a couple of bookshelves stocked with books and games turn any room into a cozy den or game room.

When it comes to choosing paint colors, furniture, and decor for your vacation property, a great rule of thumb for staging is to use mostly neutral colors for paint, counters, cabinets, and furniture. When it comes to decor, that's where you can add in splashes of color. This strategy brings definition to your vacation property while making it easy to change your color scheme at any point without the need for doing anything greatly labor intensive. Great for holidays and seasonal decorating.

One idea for staging your rental property is to create a theme of sorts. Many people who have beach houses like to use coastal themes with varying shades of blue and white and decorate with starfish, birds, anchors, and other coastal elements. If you're renting out a vacation cabin, you could go with a more rustic design. For instance, you could include log beds and other furniture and outdoor elements to make your vacation property really pop in the minds of prospective renters.

After you've staged your vacation property, taking high-quality pictures it critical. At MINNeSTAY, helping our clients capture beautiful imagery as well as full 3D virtual tours of their property is just a part of our vacation property management services.

If you've ever wondered whether or not staging your vacation property is worth it, we hope this article has fully explained the many benefits of doing so. In fact, you can probably see why not staging your rental property would be a disadvantage that could essentially cost you money when you could be making more from your rental property.

If you'd like to find out more about staging your rental property or listing your vacation property with a professional management company, then feel free to contact our team today for a no-obligation consultation. From staging before listing your rental to cleaning your property after your guests leave, MINNeSTAY is here to take the headache out of owning an investment property.